Archdeacon Robert Johnson (1540-1625) was a Puritan rector of North Luffenham for 51 years, from 1574 until his death; he was also the Archdeacon of Leicester, and using the income from these and other church posts that he was able to hold concurrently, he founded two free grammar schools, Oakham School and Uppingham School in 1584, as well as other charitable institutions. He enjoyed the patronage of the Cecil family, who built Burghley House. Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ... Events March 27 - Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... The Puritans were members of a group of English Protestants seeking further reforms or even separation from the established church during the Reformation. ... North Luffenham is a village in Rutland, in the East Midlands of England. ... An archdeacon is a senior position in some Christian churches, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the clock tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city in the English East Midlands. ... A grammar school is a type of school found in some English-speaking countries. ... Oakham School is an English public school in the market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 students, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils. ... Uppingham School is a co-educational English public school in the small town of Uppingham in Rutland. ... 1584 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Burghley House in 2004 Burghley House is a grand 16th-century country house near the town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. ...

Family

He was born in Stamford to Maurice and Jane Johnson, one of five (or seven) children; his father was a Member of Parliament. He married three time and had a son, Abraham, by his third wife, Maria (neé Hird); through his son he had thirteen grandchildren. His grandson, Isaac, married Lady Arabella Fiennes, who gave her name to Governor John Winthrop's flagship the Arabella. Robert Johnson died on the 23rd July 1625, in North Luffenham. There is more than one place named Stamford. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... John Winthrop was the name of several prominent figures in colonial New England. ... Events March 27 - Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. ...

Charitable Works

His puritan beliefs meant he placed great importance on education, and he set up the grammar schools so that those who were too poor to pay for schooling could be taught Hebrew, Greek and Latin. The schools recieved charterships from Queen Elizabeth I in 1587. Hebrew (עִבְרִית ‘Ivrit) is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by more than seven million people in Israel, the West Bank, the United States, and by Jewish communities around the world. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Elizabeth I Queen of England and Ireland Queen of France, nominal title Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533–March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558 until her death. ... 1587 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. ...

Among other endowments and foundations, Archdeacon Johnson founded hospitals of Christ in Oakham and Uppingham, and re-founded and endowed the old hospital of Saint John Evangelist and Saint Anne, in Oakham. He is also named as being a founder of Jesus College, Oxford University. For the town in Massachusetts, see Oakham, Massachusetts. ... Map sources for Uppingham at grid reference SP8699 Uppingham is a small town in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. ... There are at least two instutions bearing the name Jesus College. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford in England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ...

A statue of the Archdeacon can be seen in Uppingham, on High Street West on the Victoria Tower, belonging to Uppingham School.

Links

• http://history.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/story.htm History of Oakham School and Archdeacon Johnson
• http://www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/history/founders.php Founders of Jesus College